272 
NOKTII AMERICAN GYKINUS (cOLEOPTEKA) 
Kettle Rapids (most northern point reached), July 15, 1917 
mimitus, 8 d", 8 9 conjinis, 21 d", 27 9 
Iu(je 7 is, 2 d", 3 9 hifarius, 8 cT, 0 9 
opacus, 16 cT, 16 9 
A total of ten species Avere taken by Air. Wallis, only three 
of Avhich {minntus, lugens and hifarms) occurred in the Alaine 
catch. 
It is obvious from the above that there is no aversion to as- 
sociation among the dilferent species of Gyn'mis, in fact any 
considerable school is more likely to be composite than not. 
That colonies may consist of a single species is undoubtedly 
li'ue. Air. Wallis has sent me tAvo lots taken at Winnipeg and 
one at St. Norbert, Alanitoba, the last named containing one 
hundred and eight specimens, all of AAdiich Avere m(tadiventris;\y\n\Q 
from Professor Bradley I have received a series of scAun-al thou- 
sand specimens taken at Silver Springs, Arkansas, AAdiich seems 
to contain nothing but analis. 
'Throughout the aliove investigation I have had recourse to 
th(^ genitalic characters in sorting the material. Once the 
siiecies have been separated in this Avaj^, it becomes possilile 
to evaluate the superficial characters of form, color, sculiiture, 
(dc., and the student gradually acipiires the ability to identify 
AAuth considei'able accuracy a large majority of the species 
fi'om these characters alone. This is, hoAven^er, only possible 
to the trained eye, and the casual student need expect only a 
moderate degree of success unless he checks iij) his conclusions 
by a study of the male genitalia; in fact there are a feAA’ species 
Avhich I am disiiosed to lielieve can nen'ev certainly be ri'cog- 
niz('d in any otlu'i' Avay. Though it may seem someAidiat ol a 
nuisance', tlu' process of re'moving tlu' gi'iiitalia is a A'ery simple 
one indeed, and A\ith ah'oholic or ])j'0))erly softc'iied specimens, 
uidc'ss A'('ry old, may usually AAuth very little ('y])erience be 
accomplished Avith littU' or no injury to tlu' specimen. Tlu' 
ess('idials ai’(' some' foiin of dissecting micr()SCO])e — a siniiile 
lens of Avide ti('ld so sujtjxated as to U'aAU' tlu* hands free ansAvers 
('V('ry pui'j)ose- a lu'e'dh' and a pair of foi'cc'jis, pi'eferably Avith 
fine curved poiids. 
